Deciding whether to bring a spouse to Quantico, VA, while attending The Basic School (TBS) can be a sensitive and challenging topic. I got married about 6 months prior to TBS with the intent of dragging my wife across the country to Virginia. However, we eventually decided that it would be best if I left alone. At the time, it didn’t seem right for me to make my wife quit her job and leave her family for the short 6 [...]
A look at my personal final report card from The Basic School. Learn what will be tested at TBS and how the events are scored.
One of the biggest surprises you will face at TBS is the ridiculous amount of money you will spend on uniforms, gear, and ops funds. Unfortunately, there's nothing that can be done about required uniforms and monthly ops funds (~$50). However, I can help when it comes to buying non-essential, but highly desired gear. Lieutenants in the hills of Quantico will do anything they can to make things easier, or more comfortable. Purchasing random gear at the MCX and Stafford [...]
Most of you have probably heard about the Marine Corps' three-tier MOS selection process for placing Ground contract officers in their MOS. It's a historic system that hasn't changed for decades. Luckily, The Basic School is changing many procedures to better the development and MOS placement of Marine Officers. UPDATE (23 OCT 2014): I recently heard from a friend at TBS there are still decisions being made with regards to how the MOS Selection Process is carried out. There is [...]
In the midst of budget cuts and a war that is winding down, it should come as no surprise that the Department of Defense is continuing to reduce manpower. With the Marine Corps having the smallest budget of all the services, it is even less surprising that we are getting hit hard. What does this mean for new officers, the number of NROTC scholarships, and OCS applicants? You won't find a definitive answer here, in fact much of this information [...]
